


All Dressed Up, Nowhere to Go

by SilverServerError



Series: Material Planes [4]
Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: Let him live, M/M, Make Up, Modern AU, Offscrean Brad/Brian, Offscreen Bradko, Offscreen Taakitz, Open Relationships, kravitz is pretty, mirror
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-22
Updated: 2018-02-22
Packaged: 2019-03-22 12:54:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,195
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13764618
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SilverServerError/pseuds/SilverServerError
Summary: Taako borrows Brad for the weekend. (What, like he was going to carry his own bags?)Brian invites himself over.





	All Dressed Up, Nowhere to Go

“Oh God!”

It’s not that Kravitz is upset to find Brian in his bathroom, hips braced against the counter and a breath away from the mirror, an oversized t-shirt slipping off one shoulder and covering him to the tops of bare thighs. But Brian moves silently in a way Kravitz has never witnessed before. A way he thought only happened in books. So no, he’s not upset, but as he steps out of the shower he is certainly startled.

As is Brian, if the small elven curse and the dull clater of light plastic is anything to go by. As soon as he recovers, he gives Kravitz a haughty glare, one eye lined with a perfect silver cat eye. The other with a smudge dragging up and crooked across a lid.

“Sorry,” Kravitz says a little sheepishly, a fond smile across his face and his heart gradually starting to slow. He takes his terry cloth robe off the wall and a rolled towel from the stack, starting to press his hair dry. “But you snuck up on me again.”

“I don’t sneak,” Brian assures him, not doing him the courtesy of leering when Kravitz is so generously leaving his robe open like this. Their hands meet as they both reach for the lotion at the same time. Kravitz makes a show of being a courteous host and letting him go first, which Brian rewards with a roll of the eyes and a tiny exasperated huff. He puts a small amount on a Q tip and starts damage control on the silver scribble across his eyelid.

Kravitz watches with a quiet smile for a moment before going back for the lotion himself. The scent of rosemary fills his senses. He takes a deep breath and lets it escape slow and audible as he starts to smooth it over his skin.

“At work you always give me warning.”

Brian pauses just long enough to raise an eyebrow, a small concession on an otherwise bored expression.

“The heels,” Kravitz says, watching him out of the corner of an eye as he braces a foot to spread lotion up one thigh and down his leg. “I always hear you coming.” He smiles. “Click, click, click…”

Brian sighs in annoyance too performative to be real as he throws away the Q tip and starts the careful process of finding where the silver pigment gel and brush have gone.

“Maybe you should wear them around the house more,” Kravitz muses as he starts on a second thigh. “Fewer surprises, and I love what they do to your legs.”

“Hmm,” Brian huffs. “I’d hate to scuff the hardwood.”

“Oh?” he asks slyly. “Is that why you’re always pushing Brad to renovate?”

Brian’s eyes narrow slightly and Kravitz realizes too late he might be stumbling on something real. “Just getting tired of the bruises,” Brian says airily, accent a touch thicker than normal.

Kravitz has been with Taako long enough now that he knows a test when he sees one, so when a remark about the comparative annoyance of rug burn pops into his head, he bites his tongue. This is apparently enough as the sudden chill gradually fades.

“And no offense,” Brian takes a break from carefully picking through Taako’s chaotic makeup to grace him with eye contact, “I think somehow you are not the person to take advice about interior design from.”

“Oh?” Kravitz takes the bait with gentle encouragement.

“Mmm. It’s been awhile since I’ve been meeting strange men in hotel suites, but your bathroom always gives me flashbacks.”

That earns him a hearty laugh, but Brian points accusingly at Taako’s robe on a designated hanger on the wall. The tissue box cover, both minimalist and extraneous. The artfully arranged towels. Even the jarring mess that is the evidence of Taako’s presence is a little like a hotel. A permanent guest who so thoughtlessly and welcomely interrupts the carefully created aesthetic. Kravitz nods, conceding the point and moving a little closer.

“Well, at least the men aren’t strange anymore.”

Brian scoffs, grinning. “You’re all strange.”

“All of us?”

Brian nods. “Rich guys. None of you are normal.”

Kravitz is about to say more, to tease more out of him, when Brian finally finds the thin black brush with a little noise of triumph and a flick of the ears. He washes it quickly, then it’s back in the tiny pot of silver. Kravitz watches with an ache in his chest as in three strokes, Brian has a perfect, matching cat eye. He moves his head to a few different angles, pouts like only a professional can, then returns to the chaotic mess, a look of soft concentration as thin fingers curl and his eyes scan.

“What are you looking for?” He asks politely, moving closer still, but not touching. Brian hasn’t invited him to touch yet.

“Highlighter,” Brian says, the word a little drawn out. When no noise of understanding or assistance comes, his eyes flick up, finding a confused look on Kravitz’s face. “Something diffuse and reflective,” he tries to explain. “To catch the light.” Kravitz nods, but can almost feel the doubt as Brian allows the bluff to slide. “Do you know where he put the samples from Unicorn Holographic?”

“From…?” Kravitz looks a little lost, and Brian feels instantly merciful.

“The sponsor from last week’s unboxing video,” he clarifies. Kravitz had at one point been stolen from his puttering in the background so Taako could try the new product on him. A dusting along the cheekbones and a cute little highlight to the tip of his nose. “It was in that ugly pink packaging.”

“Oh!” Yes, _that_ he remembers. “Took it with him, I’m afraid.”

“Oh,” Brian says, a little deflated, but puts on a brave face, opening a few drawers, similarly full of jumbles of products in seemingly no organizational system.

“Were you going to steal it?” Kravitz asks with a fond little smile.

“Well, he stole my boyfriend,” Brian sighs, playing victim. “So somehow I think this is only fair.”

“Borrowed him.”

“Mmm.”

They lapse into a comfortable silence, Kravitz gazing down. Brian smiling up from where he’s bent over an open drawer. And there it is. The unspoken invitation.

“There’s always glitter,” Kravitz says, not moving quite yet. Letting the anticipation build. “Taako has lots of glitter.”

“I would sooner die.” Brian blinks up at him, completely deadpan.

At last Kravitz reaches out, tucking white hair behind a dark gray ear. It presses back slightly. Prettily. Kravitz has no idea if it’s reflex or control. Brian turns back to his searching and softly out of his touch. As the quiet clink of plastic begins again, Kravitz ties his robe closed, unsure if Brian would be interested in the reaction he’s beginning to have anymore.

“Plus it gets everywhere. Impossible to get rid of.”

“It’s not that bad,” Kravitz assures him.

“You want to chance it? With a board meeting on Monday?” Kravitz opens his mouth, then closes it. Brian grins, quietly triumphant, ears pressing down, pleased with himself. “Yes, Brad’s dress code violation talks are not as fun as I make them sound.”

“Is that a challenge?”

Brian laughs softly under his breath but ignores that in favor of, “He’s got more shades of this?” pulling out a handful of little pots of metallic eyeliner, some still with unbroken plastic seals. He stands up, pushing in the drawers and setting his haul on the counter, opening a few and testing them between fingertips, the back of a hand, and the inside of his wrist. “What’s he doing with the silver when he’s got a gold this pretty?”

“What’s wrong with silver?”

Brian shrugs. “Nothing, but he’s got such warm undertones. I don’t understand why he keeps trying to make cool colors happen.”

“Is that against the fashion rules?”

Brian stops and looks at him, thoughtful. “There’s no rules in fashion, Kravtiz. Just choices.” Then a small smile breaks across his expression. He spares a glance for the counter, exhibit A of Taako’s hot mess sparkle aesthetic. “Sometimes challenging ones.”

Kravitz begins to reach for a hip, and when this makes the smile on Brian’s face grow a little wider, he completes the movement, using the hold to pull him closer, resting his chin on Brian’s shoulder and watching as he plays with different shades in the mirror. Brian holds his ear just out of the way, but Kravitz can still feel a soft warmth radiating from it, or at least imagines he can. He breathes deeply as he lets both hands settle around Brian’s hips, but resists the urge to find what he will under the hem of that too-long T-shirt.

However it’s Brian that shifts his weight and presses his backside flush against him, finding him a touch harder than might be considered polite given the circumstances. Kravitz has no idea if he’s known the whole time, or is just good at guessing. But in anycase, Brian is rewarded with hips gently pinned against the counter by two broad hands, weight firm and exciting as he pretends not to care.

“Is that why you like him? The challenge?” Brian asks, smiling at him through the mirror as Kravitz shifts his head to the other side and brushes Brian’s hair to the opposite shoulder.

“Taako?” He murmurs against Brian’s dark skin.

“Mmhmm.”

A smile. A little drag of teeth.

“No. That’s why _you_ like him.”

Kravitz steps closer, starting to grind at his hips as he sucks a mark into Brian’s shoulder. There’s an answering near-silent groan, a flick of an ear. A dark, thin hand bracing against the countertop so he can push back into the pressure with slowly rolling hips. Kravitz starts to turn him around, but when he’s met with resistance and a hiss he leaves them be, catching Brian’s eye with a teasing glance.

“Vain,” he whispers, a hand slipping under the shirt, forsaking his erection to rub warm circles against his lower belly. Brian's hair is fine and straight here as it is everywhere else, but it still excites Kravitz to feel that subtle little trail under his palm. He turns to drag his lips over the edge of an ear, only to find Brian’s head turned away and a warning little growl. As much as he adores the feel of that hot, delicate skin in his mouth (and the writhing and noises that come with it) he doesn’t need any clearer of a signal and kisses down his neck instead.

Brian narrows his gaze, watching him in the mirror for a few long seconds. Then, when the nibbling kisses have convinced him of his good behavior, he relaxes, observing with a loose smile.

“You’re pretty,” Brian says softly, watching him in the mirror. Kravitz pauses, raising his gaze and an eyebrow. Brian reaches back with one hand, rubbing up and down the side of Kravitz’s hip through terry cloth. “You’re acting surprised. Does Taako never tell you this?”

Kravitz presses a kiss to his skin and avoids his gaze, eyes falling to Brian’s hand instead, covered in a subtle rainbow of metallic pigments where it spreads across his counter. “Kind of hard to be the pretty one when Taako is in the room.”

He feels Brian’s body tense up against his front as the elf attempts a haughty little hair flick.

“For some people, maybe.”

Kravitz’s expression drops a touch, and this time it’s Brian who recognizes a boundary. He eases, sensitive as always to those he deems worthy.

“Sorry.”

“I wasn’t talking about you, Brian.”

“No, I know, Shatz.” He nuzzles sweetly against his cheek, ears low and contrite. “I mean it though. You are very pretty.”

Kravitz sighs, then turns into the touch for an intimate little murmur against Brian’s soft lips. “You’re only saying that because I got you hard.” It’s so obviously supposed to play like a joke. And at the same time, it doesn't .

“No,” Brian assures him in a tender whisper. His neck is so long in the mirror as he twists back. White eyelashes soft on dark cheeks as his eyes close. “Never about something like this.”

Brian waits. Until Kravitz has decided he’s forgiven him and leads them into a slow, lingering kiss. Brain twists a little to let a hand run up Kravitz’s neck, thumb toying at an earlobe, quiet, encouraging noises coaxing him deeper. Eventually Kravitz eases away once more, leaving them both a little breathless and thoughtful.

“Can I-?“ “Would you like-?”

They both start to speak in the same moment, Brian with his fingertips on the dark bronze pigment, Kravitz with a hand slipping up to palm Brian’s ass in a very intentional way. They both lapse into silence and glance away, heat in their cheeks.

“I mean, obviously yes,” Brian smiles at the far wall.

It is in fact not always obvious with Brian, but Kravitz does nothing to comment on this. Instead, “You first.”

Brian looks back at him in soft surprise. “I was just going to…” he shrugs, waving the little pot as if that makes anything clearer.

“I know. And I’d like that.”

“More than you want to bend me over this countertop?” Brian seems a little shocked.

Kravitz kneads at his backside, broad hands covering him almost completely. “Are you saying we can’t do both?“

Brian’s eyes narrow again, but his hips are working subtly against his hands. “You’re angry,” Brian says softly. A hypothesis that earns him an amused little laugh form Kravitz.

“No. Just curious.”

Brian’s look intensifies.

“What? I just want to watch the artist work.”

That’s enough to earn him a little push back and away as Brian keeps watching him suspiciously, but begins to look over Taako’s little horde for an appropriate brush. He finds several, but apparently they are not up to snuff as he gives a frustrated little growl and dips a finger into the pigment instead. He turns, inviting Kravitz back into his space, face to face now, Kravitz easing a little pressure between them when Brian shows no sign of displeasure about it.

“Something wrong?” He asks with a little smile, feeling Brian hard against his thigh.

But the elf’s poker face is perfect. Of course it is.

“Your boyfriend should learn to clean his brushes once in a while.” He raises a finger anyway, covered in an intense, deep hickory color as he looks over Kravitz’s face thoughtfully. Then Brian touches him, a soft look of concentration as he draws and blends around the angles of his face. He comes back again with the gold he seemed so fascinated with before, and spends a moment dusting his cheekbones and the tip of his nose, the feeling familiar from when Taako had done it the week before. Not as expected is the thick, careful smudge across the pout of his bottom lip. Brian looks him over once more before giving a satisfied smile and leaning back so Kravitz can see in the mirror.

And its not… It’s not the harsh, bold lines like Brian so often draws on himself. Nor is it the larger than life, attention grabbing style that Taako favors.

It’s subtle. The light catches the shape of his bones like a statue. He stands up a little straighter. Tilts his head just a few degrees. The smear of across his mouth is messy and hedonistic, like it could start dripping molten gold at any moment. He looks-

“Gorgeous,” a small voice growls against his ear.

Kravitz feels a little sizzle slip down his spine, meeting his own gaze and giving himself a seductive smile.

A thin, appreciative whine hums into the stubble of his jaw.

Kravitz turns quickly, making Brian gasp as he catches him in a hungry kiss. The noise of surprise quickly mellows into a low groan of want as long fingers trace up Kravitz’s neck and pull him closer. He lifts the easy weight of Brian onto the counter by thin thighs and he doesn’t feel like waiting anymore as his hand covers him, pleasing quick and satisfying as Brian’s moans flow into their kiss. It doesn’t take long. It never does. His arm isn’t even tired as Brian shudders against him, then collapses weakly. Kravitz is still as he recovers. His face is buried against his jaw and it’s cruel how he can feel Brian’s ear against his nose and lips. He goes so far as to hold his breath, knowing even that gentle heat could be too much for how sensitive they get right after. The image he glimpses in the mirror, his mouth and jaw smeared in gold… Brian clutched tight around his shoulders… It doesn’t help.

His lungs are just starting to burn when Brian finally pushes weakly back, and he tries to keep the gasp he takes silent and out of sight.

“Krav…” he sighs, soft and exhalant, nuzzling up his jaw and turning to glimpse him in the mirror.

They both see it in the same instant.

Brian’s nose, his lips… His jaw and cheeks… All covered in smudges of gold, just like Kravitz.

It takes a moment for Brian to get over the surprise, a moment that Kravitz finds filling with a touch of real anxiety to find out how he will take it. But then he smiles, maybe a little rueful, but with good humor. Kravitz lets himself relax.

Brian is still a little shaky as he runs the water and starts to clean the gold away from himself. Kravitz’s attempt to help is met with a tired hiss and he backs off at once. He washes his hands and stomach instead, wetting a small towel from the stack and rinsing it off in the sink between Brian’s use of the water.

By the time he’s finished, Brian is looking at him a little sadly, shoulders hunched as he still perches on the counter.

“What is it, Babe?”

“All my beautiful contouring,” he smiles through a wince.

Kravitz looks himself over, letting the lights catch all the different angles of his gold covered chin and mouth. “I don’t know. I kind of like it.”

“It’s a choice,” Brian agrees, softening.

“A challenging one?” Kravitz asks, drifting nearer.

Brain smiles a little impishly, pulling him close and tracing fingertips along the gold once more. He pulls them away to thoughtfully look at his own fingerprints, standing out in tiny ridges of reflective pigment against dark drow skin. He goes back once more, holding his jaw and drawing his hands back down towards his chin. Then, carefully, he presses both hands to Kravitz’s chest.

Kravitz’s gaze follows the touch, watching as it leaves two faint hand prints behind. Brian’s eyes, lilac-pink and still perfectly lined in silver, glance up as his hands start to drag slowly down towards his hips, leaving fingertip traces trailing down his body.

“Something you two have in common, maybe.”

Kravitz laughs softly, resisting the urge to kiss him golden again. Settling for a teasing touch from clean fingers just above the knees.

“Don’t worry,” Brian cooes, slowly untying Kravitz’s robe. “That’s why I like you.”


End file.
